Sep. 19 Ike News Update from Texas Parks & Wildlife

10 a.m. CDT — Update 11

Below is information sent by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to the Governor’s Press Office today. The governor’s office is coordinating official communication about Ike for the State of Texas, including TPWD activities. The following information is provided as a service and convenience for TPWD’s audience. For complete information, see the Texas governor’s web site at http://governor.state.tx.us/, or news media may phone the press office at (512) 463-1826.

Texas Game Wardens/TPWD Law Enforcement Division

TPWD has had approximately 200 game wardens and associated boats and equipment deployed for Hurricane Ike.

A smaller team of game wardens is today working with local jurisdictions to provide enforcement and assistance on the Bolivar Peninsula, having completed most search and rescue there.

The bulk of TPWD’s game warden strike teams in the field today are focused on law enforcement patrols, looting prevention and related assistance at the request of affected cities and counties. This includes teamsin the greater Beaumont-Port Arthur area at Vidor, Rose City, Neches River, Sabine River, Cow Bayou, Adams Bayou. It also includes teams in the greater Houston-Galveston area and in various counties in East and Southeast Texas, including Hardin, Orange, Tyler, Polk and Newton Counties.

Texas State Parks

Today, four Texas State Parks in northern East Texas have restored power and reopened, although some are only open for day use. This drops to 13 the number of state parks closed due to Ike, down from 37 closures at the event’s height.

Since the storm event began, more than 5,900 evacuees have been given shelter at64 state parks outside Ike’s path.

The current list of parks closed due to Ike is online (www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/parkinfo/hurricane). Anyone canalso call the state park reservation center at (512) 389-8900 to check which state parks are closed or accepting evacuees.

Two coastal parks, Galveston and Sea Rim, suffered catastrophic damage.Facilities at Sea Rim near Port Arthur appear to be a total loss. At Galveston Island, Ike caused heavy beach erosion and swept awaystateparkfacilities. The San Jacinto Battleground and six other state parks in Southeast and Northeast Texas suffered significant damage ranging from downed trees and power lines to storm surge flooding and wind damage to buildings and facilities.

Park enforcement officers have accomplished missions to secure sites and been demobilized. Natural resource and infrastructure damage evaluations will continue into next week.

Ecological Impacts/Fish and Wildlife Kills

TPWD is tracking more than 26 contaminant spills causing fish and in affected coastal areas.The department is also is participating in a multi-agency, state/federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment effort planning to set up incident command in Clear Lake.

The department is asking people in affected coastal areas who encounter dead or dying fish and wildlife or pollution that is threatening fish and wildlife or human health to please contact TPWD’s 24-Hour Law Enforcement Communication Center in Houston at (281) 842-8100.

TPWD Employee Relief

The Human Resources Division is coordinating agency-wide employee disaster relief efforts aimed at supporting affected employees who lost homes or were otherwise affected by Ike.